GLASGOW, UK – Tim Hortons, Canada’s leading coffee shop chain, has appointed former Costa Coffee Director, Kevin Hydes as UK Chief Finance and Commercial Officer. Hydes will oversee the rollout of the Tim Hortons brand in the UK market.

Speaking about the appointment, Hydes said, ‘The opportunity to lead and grow the business in a competitive market like Great Britain was too good to miss.’

Hydes has spent 11 years at Costa Coffee, holding marketing and brand development executive positions during a significant period of growth, which saw the company expand to more than 2,000 outlets in the UK and over 800 outlets internationally.

Tim Hortons, owned by Restaurant Brands International, opened its first UK branch in Glasgow last month. The company has announced plans for a ‘12-month rapid expansion into other major regional cities’ throughout the country later in the year.

Gurpit Dhaliwal, chief operating officer of Tim Hortons UK and Ireland says: ‘We're delighted to have attracted someone of Kevin's calibre. He brings an enormous wealth of experience from his time at Costa Coffee, and his expertise of quickly scaling food and drink retail brands will be vital to our long-term ambitions in Great Britain.’